Total Robocalls Decrease by 3% in the First Month of STIR/SHAKEN Release

Rhea-AI Summary

RoboKiller's latest report shows that Americans received approximately 5.74 billion spam calls in July 2021, marking a 3% decline from June. Conversely, spam texts rose to 7.1 billion, a 5% increase. The decrease in robocalls is linked to the FCC's STIR/SHAKEN technology, which helped reduce 145 million spoofed calls. Despite these improvements, spam texts are expected to rise by 3-5% in August as scammers adjust their tactics. The report also highlights a significant increase in insurance-related scams.

Positive

• 3% decrease in total robocalls in July 2021 compared to June.
• Link to the FCC's STIR/SHAKEN technology leading to reduced spoofed calls.
• Expectation of continuing decrease in spoofed calls through the end of 2021.

Negative

• Spam texts increased by 5% in July 2021.
• Projected rise in spam texts by 3-5% for August 2021.

NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RoboKiller, the app that eliminates 99% of spam calls and text messages, reveals Americans received an estimated 5.74 billion spam calls in July 2021—a 3% decrease from June. Spam text volume also increased to 7.1 billion spam texts for July, a 5% increase from June.

New Anti-Spoofing Technology is Helping Fight Against Spam Calls

As previously predicted by RoboKiller, July's 3% decrease in total robocalls reflects a successful first month of the FCC's new anti-caller ID spoofing framework, STIR/SHAKEN, with RoboKiller also observing a 5% decrease in the number of spam calls that use caller ID spoofing from June to July 2021. This means that, on a national level, there were 145 million fewer spoofed spam calls in July than in previous months of 2021.

Decreases in spoofed spam calls in July inform our positive outlook on the future of STIR/SHAKEN technology. However, there is still a lot of work to be done beyond the recent June 30th deadline in order for STIR/SHAKEN to find its legs. This includes:

1. Voice providers and phone carriers should provide more visibility into how they are utilizing STIR/SHAKEN data to inform decisions about verifying caller IDs and allowing phone calls. This data can help supporting players align their STIR/SHAKEN integration with large networks for a more unified approach.
2. Forgein service providers who process international calls to United States smartphones must begin to lean in and adopt the STIR/SHAKEN technology for it to be effective. International service providers must establish robocall mitigation plans by September 28, 2021. This will help paint a fuller picture of how effective robocall mitigation efforts are, both here and abroad.

RoboKiller expects spoofed spam calls to continue to decrease as a percentage of total spam calls through year's end, from approximately 35% of estimated total monthly spam calls in July to 30% by December 2021. This decrease will likely be driven by continued improvements to, and adoption of, the STIR/SHAKEN framework as it ramps up its impact in the war against robocalls.

For businesses still looking to comply with or enhance their STIR/SHAKEN solutions, RoboKiller Enterprise offers a flexible robocall mitigation program that's effective and hassle-free. To learn more, visit https://enterprise.robokiller.com.

Spam Text Trends Indicate Scammers Are Still Focused on Robocalls, But Not For Long

Moderate increases in spam text volume from June to July 2021 likely indicates that scammers are more focused on establishing technological workarounds to the STIR/SHAKEN framework rather than completely pivoting to spam texts in the technology's first month of release. However, Americans shouldn't count spam texts out.

RoboKiller predicts a 3-5% increase in spam texts for the month of August, as more scammers look to offset losses on robocalls and attempt new approaches to steal from Americans over the phone. Americans are on track to receive more than 86 billion spam texts in 2021, a 55% increase from 2020.

Scammers Target West Coast With Insurance Robocall Scams in Response to Natural Disaster

As the landscape becomes more complicated for robocallers to place thousands of illegal calls per day, many scammers are adjusting their approach to focus on quality over quantity. Scammers do this by tailoring their scams to relevant societal events in the United States, as they are more believable to the target.

In July 2021, RoboKiller observed a 25% increase in home and mortgage insurance offer phone scams, likely driven by natural disasters on the West Coast. Scammers often target regional area codes known to be impacted by disasters such as wildfires in an attempt to steal from the most vulnerable. Those impacted by the wildfires can get 30 days of free phone scam protection with RoboKiller by using promo code RELIEF2021.

LISTEN TO AN INSURANCE ROBOCALL SCAM BLOCKED BY ROBOKILLER 

JULY 2021 KEY PHONE SCAM TRENDS

Top Five Most Spam-Called States:

State	Total Estimated Spam Calls	Estimated Spam Calls Per Person
Texas	694,868,695	29
California	575,082,277	17
Florida	372,302,984	21
Ohio	247,038,132	25
New York	240,930,116	15

Top Phone Scams Nationwide:

Robocall Scam Category	Estimated Spam Calls	% of Total Robocalls	Robocall Examples
Vehicle Warranty	941,370,820	16.39%	Listen to Scam Recording
Health Insurance	237,209,365	4.13%	Listen to Scam Recording
Insurance Scams	261,332,351	4.55%	Listen to Scam Recording

*All audio examples are phone scams blocked and audio fingerprinted by RoboKiller

Top Five Most Spam-Texted States:

State	Total Estimated Spam Text Messages	Estimated Spam Texts Per Person
Texas	735,448,234	31
New York	569,345,937	35
California	592,558,568	18
Florida	323,336,603	18
Ohio	316,289,396	33

Top Text Scams Nationwide:

Spam Text Category	Estimated Spam Texts	% of Total Spam Texts
Amazon, UPS, & Other Delivery Scams	1,511,743,773	21.8%
COVID-19	287,671,219	4.15%
Bank Scams	200,188,679	2.89%

Tips On How To Stop Phone Scams:

• Don't answer phone calls from unknown phone numbers, especially those that call or text at odd hours.
• Never provide personal, banking, or sensitive information over the phone to any caller.
• Don't follow any prompts like "Press 1" or click any links.
• Download a spam call and text blocker like RoboKiller to equip your phone with the latest phone-scam-fighting technology. Apps like RoboKiller use global databases of millions of known scams to prevent scammers from reaching you in the first place.

RoboKiller's Data Insights
RoboKiller's robocall and spam text insights are powered by a global database of millions of known phone scams and audio fingerprints. Data are estimated by monitoring observed robocall and spam text trends for Americans who have trusted RoboKiller to stop their spam calls. RoboKiller's proprietary data insights have been featured nationally by more than 300 media outlets, including the New York Times, ABC World News, NBC Nightly News, and many more. 

For a comprehensive analysis of robocall trends in specific locations, details about particular phone scams, or any other related custom inquiries, please contact RoboKiller's robocall insights team here or at pr@robokiller.com.

About RoboKiller
With more than 12 million downloads and $300 million in losses prevented, RoboKiller is the leading independent spam call and text blocker in the United States. RoboKiller has been named a leader in technical and mobile achievement by the Webby Awards, Media Excellence, Best in Biz, and more. RoboKiller was also named the most effective solution to robocalls by the FTC. RoboKiller is available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play. To learn more, visit www.robokiller.com. 

RoboKiller, a Teltech brand, is a division of Mosaic Group, an IAC Company (NASDAQ: IAC).

Media Contacts 
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Teltech@zapwater.com

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SOURCE RoboKiller

FAQ

What was the total number of spam calls received in July 2021?

Americans received approximately 5.74 billion spam calls in July 2021.

How much did spam calls decrease in July 2021?

Spam calls decreased by 3% from June to July 2021.

What technology contributed to the decrease in robocalls?

The FCC's STIR/SHAKEN technology helped reduce robocalls significantly.

What is the expected trend for spam text messages in August 2021?

RoboKiller predicts a 3-5% increase in spam texts for August 2021.

What was the impact of natural disasters on spam calls?

There was a 25% increase in home and mortgage insurance offer scams, likely driven by natural disasters on the West Coast.